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| 1st
Bn Duke of Edinburghs Royal Regiment |
| Exercise
'Quickmarch' |
| Exercise 'Quickmarch' was the name given
to the Battalion period of Training in Schleswig - Holstein from the 15th
November to the 2nd December 1971. It proved to be a new experience for
many members of the Battalion. We lived in Barns and farm out buildings,
and trained over private land and in state forests. The training covered
all aspects of war and involved and lot of 'Tabbing' and a lot of
'Digging' The exercises covered all the sub units within the Battalion
culminating in a Brigade Exercise, where the Battalion had to attack an
enemy camp, advance rapidly without any transport over a long distance,
dig in , then withdraw, all within 24 hours.
A Soldier serving at the time
remembers :-
"I don't know what the top brass
were up to, but I clearly remember the 'Brass Monkey' weather. At one
stage it was deemed to be so cold that they issued rum. Everything in that
place was frozen solid, we froze on the march, in the trenches, out of the
trenches, on patrol, there was no escaping it. We in the Rifle Companies
suspected that the Battalion H.Q. lot were wrapped in cotton wool, but for
all we knew we might as well have been on the moon, although I don't think
the moon could have been that cold !!" |
| The Exercise was extensively photographed
at the time. As a consequence we are able to produce a number of images
confirming the statement made above by our anonymous 'Cold ' Soldier. |
| A
STUDY IN MISERY |
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| Two
unidentified members of A Coy refusing to look at the camera |
Sgt
MURRAY and Pte BRIDGETT of A Coy wishing they were back in Malta |
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| G.P.M.G.
team in full N.B.C. kit ready for action (At least its warmer in this kit) |
One
unidentified member of A Coy whispers to the other " It that Camera
bloke doesn't bugger off, I will stuff that tree where the sun don't
shine" |
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| Roll
on demob !! |
End
Ex, Just as we finish the sun appears!! |
| "PAY
AND PAY BOOK CORRECT, SIR" |
| Unlike
today's modern soldier, the soldiers of the 70s wouldn't know what a 'Pin
number' was if it hit them in the face. Pay was in cash, and across the
table including whilst in the field. Evidence below |
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| Sgt
JOHNSON ?,(Acting Plt Comd), Cpl PINNELL (The Beast) Acting Plt Sgt and
Cpl 'Mac' McIntyre come in out of the woods with Platoon from B Coy
to get paid |
B
Company appear out of nowhere to get paid |
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| The
Paymaster Capt STANGROOM (RAPC) trying to get rid of these aliens as quick
as possible |
Cpl
'Mac' McIntyre and L/Cpl 'Spud' Taylor head the queue for money, (McIntyre
pretending he can read !!) |
| BATTALION
HEADQUARTERS |
| All
generations of 'Farmersboys' will recognize the fact , that Battalion H.Q.
Wallahs come from a different planet. They tend not to be as 'Well Ard' as
the rifle Companies, and always seemed to inhabit the best billets (and
the Warmest) Evidence below |
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| Stores
that never leave, "Feel the weight son, and get back to your
hole", and by the way close the door behind you, its cold out there |
"I
really feel for those Rifle Company Bods, mines a lager" |
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| Commanding
Officer Lt Col CRABTREE, and Maj Vernon POWELL suffering for the cause,
(Note the Bar) |
"I've
done my bit, I'm entitled to a bit of comfort in my old age" |
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| Ben
TURNER and Sgt COLE enduring the rigors of the sub zero temperatures |
Scobbie
Watton reading other peoples mail |
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| A
sight to strike fear into any 'Farmerboys' heart, the situation where 'Farmersboys'
of the officer variety are sighted consulting maps. Thereafter we are doomed to be
like the flying Dutchman, i.e. forever lost !! |
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